Environmental Impact & the Printing Industry

29th December 2009

The printing industry can so easily become the bête noire when it comes to environmental discussions regarding the future of the planet. In the west, it is often miscast in the same villainous role as the oil and tobacco companies. While we can choose to buy a hybrid car or change an incandescent light bulb to a CFL, it is hard not to read paper-based publications. The truth is that we all read publications and hold in our hands the product of the printing industry’s endeavors — ink on paper. And it’s going to stay that way for many years to come. Yet, the printing industry needs to understand its impact on our world — paper and power consumption and waste generation — and How we can minimize that impact.

Regulation in other countries

Under the new Lacy Act law passed by the American government, “All wood products and producers have to be certified by FSC certification or equivalent to have originated from a legal resource and else the entry for the Wood products is banned in to USA. A similar act has been put in place by European Union (FLEGT License) to stop the trade in illegal wood and wood products and will be enforced starting in the third quarter of 2009, if not earlier. Other countries are also in process of establishing a similar code.

Why is this necessary?

Best practice from an environmental perspective results in reduced land-fill, reduced toxic waste and emissions from pulp and paper processing entering waterways and the air, and less demand on paper that is sourced from virgin forests. Some interesting facts:

— Over 40 per cent of trees that are logged globally are used to make paper

— Recycled paper accounts for about 10 per cent of the paper market worldwide

— Affluent countries such as the United States and Australia are among the leading consumers of paper. Paper consumption is growing. About 95 per cent of business information is still stored on paper, while the greater availability of copying machines, printers and fax machines, as well as personal computers and desktop printers, has produced an increase rather than a decrease in demand for paper.

It is not easy being green. There are so many things to measure, compare and ponder over — lots of complex trade-offs. The economic downturn makes the whole green thing much harder. At a time of less work, scarcer credit and uncertainty about future prospects, the focus shifts to survival. That seems certain to mean less money and time devoted to reducing environmental damage, boosting energy efficiency, increasing recycling and cutting carbon.

Yet, the global environmental crisis is very real and mounting. Climate change gets all the headlines these days, but it is only the half of it. The overstretch of critical natural resources—fresh water, forests, croplands, wetlands, fisheries, glaziers — will worsen, driven by growing populations and economies.

In the west, there has been significant progress from both the paper and print industry on improved environmental performance. However, this industry with its heavy energy consumption, its huge flows of wastes and recyclates and its ultimate dependence on forestry products, will always remain in the environmental firing line. Big chunks of the business, like throwaway free newspapers and unsolicited direct mail, look highly questionable to environmentalists.

What is the print industry doing?

For most printers, the need to adapt to the best environment practices is driven by pressure from their customers and agencies. Several overseas print buyers around the world now insist that their print provider implement ISO 14001 (Environment Management System). Increasingly, print buyers specify the use of FSC or PEFC paper stocks — though the current economic downturn has changed this a bit. Two aspects or ingredients can immediately be demanded by printers from their paper suppliers — the first is the origin and sustainability of the fibre and the second is the bleaching method used in the pulping process.

More recently, the green movement is also moving from paper to the plate and printing room, and even to the bindery. Several printers have eliminated the use of films and chemicals and have converted to computer to plate. Printers are increasingly using vegetable based inks instead of oil-based inks and looking at alcohol free dampening solutions. Chemicals that are harmful to the environment are disposed as per environment disposal norms.

Scenario in India

Environment protection is catching up in India. Local, federal, corporate and society at large are waking up to the fact that all need to contribute at every level to protect the environment for our future generations. The Indian printing industry is no exception. Be it machines, or paper or inks they all have to sooner rather than later change to eco friendly systems and solutions.

Several overseas print buyers are also keen to move towards environment friendly paper and print processes. It is for these reasons that many export oriented printers are looking at the following avenues to become more environmentally responsible.

-         Production of paper (from renewable sources but regeneration stressed)

-         Use of inks and solvents (without adverse environmental impact)

-         Water and energy consumption

-         Several printing companies implementing ISO 14001 or equivalent certifications

Source: Indian Printer & Publisher